From Nasdaq:

China is making a push to gain control of the global chip market and reduce reliance on Western technology. By using open-source RISC-V architecture to develop high-performance chips, Chinese entities are investing heavily in RISC-V projects, worth at least $50 million. This move is seen as a response to US sanctions on China’s access to advanced semiconductors. The open-source nature of RISC-V makes it geopolitically neutral and allows for greater customization of chips, which is appealing to manufacturers. This investment in RISC-V has raised Beijing’s hopes of challenging the Arm-x86 duopoly in the long run. Many Chinese companies and research institutes are developing RISC-V chips, with a significant increase in published patents in China over the years. These specs are particularly appealing to Chinese manufacturers and institutes looking for alternatives to proprietary, closed architectures like Arm and x86. State and military interest in RISC-V is growing, with renowned Chinese institutions filing patents and making breakthroughs in RISC-V development. Despite the promise of RISC-V, it still struggles to break the dominance of Arm and x86. However, with the growth of the AI chip market, RISC-V’s low cost and customization options are becoming appealing to chipmakers. The focus on RISC-V is part of China’s broader strategy to gain technological self-sufficiency and reduce its dependence on Western technology. The open-source nature of RISC-V has made it an attractive option for Chinese companies and research institutes looking for alternatives to closed architectures like Arm and x86. While it has not broken the dominance of Arm and x86, RISC-V’s appeal is growing, particularly in the AI chip market.



Read more: INSIGHT-China bets on open-source chips as US export controls mount